Compensatory vs. Classic Narcissist - important to read!!!

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#1 May 3 - 9PM
Arwen
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Compensatory vs. Classic Narcissist - important to read!!!

It's so important for us to really validate what we have been through and sometimes the information just isn't there but WOW stumbling on to Sam Vaknin's site once again I happen to finally catch who my ex N was on the NPD spectrum. He has behaved differently from my primary narc who was CLASSIC. My recent x N was def a compensatory narc and here is the list of traits. Things that struck chords with me for him were his saying "MY business was high-profile and that's why I got arrested and indicted", when everything I read online about his business said it was a complete dump. I found that this is one of the must have traits in order to be called a compensatory narc! Also my x N was and is very ashamed of himself and prone to depression which is also found in this list - Finally:

The basic trait of the Compensatory Narcissistic Personality Type is a pattern of overtly narcissistic behaviours (that) derive from an underlying sense of insecurity and weakness, rather than from genuine feelings of self-confidence and high self-esteem."

The Compensatory Narcissistic Personality Type:

Seeks to create an illusion of superiority and to build up an image of high self-worth [Millon];

Strives for recognition and prestige to compensate for the lack of a feeling of self-worth;

May "acquire a deprecatory attitude in which the achievements of others are ridiculed and degraded" [Millon];

Has persistent aspirations for glory and status [Millon];

Has a tendency to exaggerate and boast [Millon];
Is sensitive to how others react to him, watches and listens carefully for critical judgement, and feels slighted by disapproval [Millon];

"Is prone to feel shamed and humiliated and especially (anxious) and vulnerable to the judgements of others" [Millon];

Covers up a sense of inadequacy and deficiency with pseudo-arrogance and pseudo-grandiosity [Millon];

Has a tendency to periodic hypochondria [Forman];
Alternates between feelings of emptiness and deadness and states of excitement and excess energy [Forman];

Entertains fantasies of greatness, constantly striving for perfection, genius, or stardom [Forman];

Has a history of searching for an idealised partner and has an intense need for affirmation and confirmation in relationships [Forman];

Frequently entertains a wishful, exaggerated and unrealistic concept of himself, which he can't possibly measure up to [Reich];

Produces (too quickly) work not up to the level of his abilities because of an overwhelmingly strong need for the immediate gratification of success [Reich];

Is touchy, quick to take offence at the slightest provocation, continually anticipating attack and danger, reacting with anger and fantasies of revenge when he feels himself frustrated in his need for constant admiration [Reich];

Is self-conscious, due to a dependence on approval from others [Reich];

Suffers regularly from repetitive oscillations of self-esteem [Reich];

Seeks to undo feelings of inadequacy by forcing everyone's attention and admiration upon himself [Reich];

May react with self-contempt and depression to the lack of fulfilment of his grandiose expectations [Riso].

May 4 - 6PM
Smitten Kitten (not verified)
Anonymous's picture

I don't see the difference between the two.

All of those listed criteria seem like Narc traits to me, so what is the basic difference between the two? This also describes my exN. And then there's the probability that other disorders co-exist as well, such as BPD, etc.
May 4 - 10AM
MandyM
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This is my ex. I could list

This is my ex. I could list dozens of examples, but the one thing I always thought about him toward the end, even before he walked out of my life, was, "You know, if you have to actually verbally state 'I'm pretty bad-ass,' you really aren't."
May 4 - 9AM
janine
janine's picture

The covert N

You had me confused for a moment, until I realized this is another name for the covert or disguised N. Betty, the former mod, and I had discussed that type last year, because mine is one of them. Then quite a few others had agreed theirs had been the same. There was a thread with an interesting link, but I do not know how to find it. It takes a while to figure out that sort, as they seem and actually are so insecure, weak and depressed most of the time. They remind me of borderliners with their mood swings. The typical N traits, however, are very much there. I have been wondering whether the ones that have been ignored or even abused in their childhood tend to become that type.
May 4 - 9AM (Reply to #11)
Used
Used's picture

janine

the COMP NARC, is mine to the letter i used to get confused when it said narcsissism is b/c they were so spoiled , but reading this, tho he has never used the word abused by his mother, the things he has said are things that would leave scars, trouble is for me his siblings tell a completly diffrent story, anyway he had a real love /hate relationship with her and as i say this is him to the letter, i did say to him once you shouldnt take it out on all women should you? he also seems to think his father was a wuss who put up with too much from the mother, but again i said[rightly or wrongly] well shouldnt you be taking it out on men then,of course he is a real spineless coward so he is not going to take it out on men is he ? the only men i have known him to abuse is vulnarable men and ones who will not fight back,WHAT A PIECE OF WORK HE IS.
May 4 - 11AM (Reply to #12)
janine
janine's picture

Used, yes, same with mine

Sounds familiar. Mine has a strict, cold, dominating mother and a weak father. He has had a horrible childhood and the fact that the family appeared so proper and normal on the outside made it worse. His brother, the golden boy = spoilt classic N, never said anything, but others confirmed what N had told me. Apart from that I know mine so well I could always tell when he lied, and he did not about that. Believe me, though I refused to live with him, I fought for this man's sanity for a long time. Of course he takes it out on any woman he meets in that typical passive-aggressive way and I got quite a bit of it. His therapist told me that I am the only person N ever trusted, and I still have all his bank details, codes for everything etc. For all the women after me it will be even worse. He was not as bad as your former husband, I remember what you had said in your story. But I had to leave to not go down with him. I am glad you told me on that other thread that you are getting better by staying away from the rotten people you have had to deal with!
May 4 - 12PM (Reply to #13)
Used
Used's picture

janine

just to clarify, i am talking of exn , not exnh, he too was a narc but he adored his mother and he could do no wrong in her eyes, even when he went to prison, she blamed me for letting himlol.so one hated his mother, one adored his mother yet they are so alike, so DAMNED IF YOU DO AND DAMNED IF YOU DONT. you have made me aware that i dont realy mention my exh any more, i am 18mnth nc with both, but its narc realy who stays in my head, but narc does live near me, my exh doesnt, so i see narc alot. never in all the time i was married did i ever feel sexually threatened of scared sexually of my husband, except right at the very end of my marriage thats probley the catalyst for me telling him to go and divorcing himxx
May 4 - 6AM
onwithmylife
onwithmylife's picture

Patience

this is a great post, many of the traits describe my Narc as well, very grossly insecure and real weak inside which is why he had to control everything on the outside, including me espically, since I was the one closet to him for so many years, it was all about meeting his wants and needs, very little support towards me,my health, profession, I meant nothing but sex to him.HIS LOSS. he was also depressed for more than 20 years and carried heavy guilt within him and paranoia as well.
May 4 - 6AM
gratefuljen
gratefuljen's picture

This is my soon to be exn

This is my soon to be exn husband. I think this is one of the reasons I stuck with him. I knew he was wounded! I did not know how wounded, but I knew he was. So I was going to love him into health. Boy did I have another thing coming. I love this site. Thank you all. I am doing my healing work. I am in no contact, and when I have the urge to contact I will post on here. Cause when you break the nc suggestion, it truly does put you back. I am in the solution today, not the problem. I made a commitment to go to coda, nc, sober for a little over a year. Thanks guys
May 4 - 3AM
TovaBella
TovaBella's picture

Wow Patiencegoal...You Hit Home!

Patiencegoal, I'm so glad you posted the traits/characteristics of a compensatory N. It describes my ex-N to the T! Ugh! They are so ****ing ridiculous! Image really is everything to them. TovaBella
May 4 - 3PM (Reply to #6)
Arwen
Arwen's picture

tova

Really glad this post has helped you and others. I find it immensely helpful to look at as a reminder. The image thing really is everything to my XN, to the point that if you had one tiny blemish on your face it was like a universal "strike" against you and it would cause hiim not to want to be in public with you. SUCH MIRRORING, SUCH INSECURITY!!! SUCH insanity!!! Such lack of reality!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 4 - 3PM (Reply to #7)
TovaBella
TovaBella's picture

Patiencegoal

Hi Patiencegoal, My ex-N was all about image too, ugh! I remember a few times he would pick apart women who he found attractive (mind you that was painful enough) and one his comments was, "well, she's kind of overweight and her skin isn't all that great." I so badly wanted to tell him off. The woman was beautiful and he had no business critiquing (sp?) someone else. No one's perfect (although of course he thinks he is). I should have told him that he wasn't perfect and the fact that he shaves his body because he's hairy and takes steroids to be muscular is proof, haha. What jerks, seriously! TovaBella
May 3 - 9PM
sara-smile
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patientgoal

Geez! This is my Narc!!! Do we deal with this type different? He puts on a big front but it's all lies! He has dreams of being perfect and the perfect mate is a MUST! He lies about his accomplishments at work all they time and it's just embarrassing! This was great! Thanks for posting!
May 4 - 3PM (Reply to #2)
Arwen
Arwen's picture

Sara-smile

I don't think we deal with them any differently because the damage they cause is exactly the same damage caused by the classic narc. The symptoms croos-over quite a lot as you can see by the list. But i also found the depression and tendency towards it, and the lying about how great his business was to be really "standout" among his traits. No one should not feel sorry for them anymore than any other narc, aside from just feeling sorry for them as human beings who have this disorder. It in no way means they are safe to be around. Not at all.
May 4 - 5PM (Reply to #3)
sara-smile
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Thanks PG

I'm learning the hard way AGAIN! They are NOT safe to be around at all. The bad part is they take advantage of our good nature and loving personality!!! The "poor pitiful me" act they have mastered is an academy award winning performance! I hate Narcs!!!
May 4 - 10PM (Reply to #4)
ValiditySeeker
ValiditySeeker's picture

Oh those compensatory narcissists!

I can spot a braggart, overt Look at Me! Narc at twenty paces but fell fast and hard for the covert one. His mask was exactly opposite of who he was: Good Christian boy, future doctor, hard worker, volunteer, polite, etc. It was sooooo confusing when the mask would slip: the stealing, lying, uneeded znd cold criticisms, gaslighting, cold-hearted snake behavior. It took me two years to see through it! I say the compensatory narc is more dangerous because they're harder to spot. This is the guy you end up married to and don't realize who he is until years later. The overt Look at Me! Type often gets dumped after a few dates.